this post was submitted on 21 Mar 2025
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Inspired by the recent c/AskLemmy question about Myanmar.


As a PRC-born ethnic Han-Chinese person who currently is a US Citizen and reside in the US, I'm curious on what people think of my former country.

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[–] ApollosArrow@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)
  • Interesting mythology and past.
  • Technologically advancing.
  • Many ethical issues against people by the Government.
  • They are very into the illusion of being a paradise.
  • If you are a person not from there, it can be a potentially traumatizing experience, depending on what parts of the country you go to.
[–] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 2 days ago (2 children)

If you are a person not from there, it can be a potentially traumatizing experience, depending on what parts of the country you go to.

Actually, foreigners (white foreigner to be precise) such as Youtubers Serpentza and Laowhy86 managed to go around China and make videos critical of the CCP and they didn't end up in prison or anything. But if a Chinese person attempted the same thing, they'd probably get jailed. I feel like there a sort of "foreigner privilage" that basically the CCP doesn't want to get involved in a diplomatic incident, but is otherwise happy to punish their own citizens (since there wouldn't be any diplomatic incidents).

[–] Bloomcole@lemmy.world -1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If you want to pretend to know something about China and badmouth them you should at least know the CCP doesn't exist.
The CPC does.

[–] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Actually the "CPC" doesn't exist because it's called 中国共产党

做五毛前,先学点中文吧。

[–] Bloomcole@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Your confused with the non-existing country Taiwan
Your comment literally translates as CPC.
Besides the nasty insult you paid propaganda people can't do without apparently.

[–] ApollosArrow@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

I didn’t even mean trauma from the gov’t, which is a whole different level, but trauma from its own people. My wife traveled to China for work and it was not great for her.

[–] Bloomcole@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Culture shock from going to an advanced society?
Not seeing mass homeless and junkies in the streets, working public transport, etc can be a bit much.

[–] ApollosArrow@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

You obviously know I meant the opposite. Not all of China is advanced. There were indeed homeless people and likely junkies. You can go into my post history if you want to see the longer story.

[–] Bloomcole@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Congratulations, you've discovered sarcasm. (see what I did here?)
China has lifted 800mln out of poverty. 3,3% under the poverty line (for now). The US banana republic has11.1%.
China is the nr 1 in homeownership in theworld BTW at 96% And not even beginning about the junkie comparison.

Your post history just shows your Sinophobia in another comment under this posts and then I have to scroll back to see your 'expertise' comes from...second hand stories from a 2 week trip your wife took once.
And that expleinss she's butthurt bcs they don't have a groteskly obese population like the US and they ridiculed her for it.
I guess it's a more original reason for badmouthing them than the normal envy the US has for losing hard to them economically.
So LOL, cope

[–] ApollosArrow@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago

Thank you for teaching me sarcasm, I am in your debt. I’m also not an expert, and she’s not obese since she’s a personal trainer. You also forgot that she had a friend who also lived in the city she visited, for years might I add. It’s not just her experience. I also don’t think anyone was putting into question how fucked up the US is, because it most definitely is. The OP was asking a specific question and I answered it.

[–] madcaesar@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Horrific dictatorship that commits atrocities.

People that have been subjugated and oppressed and have little to no value as humans to the CCP.

Became a world power by exploiting the working class.

Beautiful country and amazing history.

[–] Bloomcole@lemmy.world -1 points 1 day ago

Sounds like you're describing the US, except the amazing history part.

[–] JakeBacon@lemm.ee 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I always think about visiting due to the amazing natural and historical areas but simultaneously, how much I don't want to visit due to other issues.

Same with a lot of countries.

I yearn for the day when the world rid itself of all states, they are the source of evil.

[–] JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The first thing I think of is "propaganda" but you might not expect why. I grew up in the western world, hearing constantly that China was basically the epitome of evil. Their government is evil, their people are evil, the very land they walk on is evil, everything they've ever done has been evil. In history we only learned about their crises and the times they caused problems for the western world.

Unlike my peers, however, this made me curious. Why are you telling me so constantly that they must be evil? Can't there be good people there doing their best just like we are? And then things started getting weird in the western world. Then they got worrying. Then they started really taking their masks off and I realized "ohhhh you were projecting the whole time weren't you?"

I still don't know much about China. I don't know what your culture is really like, how the people actually treat each other. I don't know basically anything about you. I'd love to learn though, if you're willing to teach.

[–] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Their government is evil

I mean... its not entirely false. . I mean, the CCP through the one child policy did try to terminate me, since I was the second pregnancy that my mother had (she already gave birth to my older brother), so they did try to find my mother to force an abortion against her will. Then after I was born, I guess the since I already exist, its too difficult to justify killing someone who was already born, so they just let me live. My parents had to pay like somewhete like ¥10,000 to ¥20,000 (in Renminbi currency) in order for me to get legal documents, which was a lot of money at the time. So yea fuck the CCP.

But to put in in perspective, it isn't nearly as bad as North Korea, where they totally ban people from leaving.

their people are evil

Yea this is total BS. There's nothing in the DNA of ethnic Chinese that make us "evil".

Unlike my peers, however, this made me curious. Why are you telling me so constantly that they must be evil?

Like, don't think this is just a western thing.

Nationalism is a thing in every country.

In China, they teach people why Japan is evil and all Japanese people are monsters... and I'm like... "all of them?" 🤔

Then it got weirder when the US was also portrayed as evil... I mean, don't get me wrong, the US has done a lot of evil things. But its was also the US that aided China aginst the japanese invasion of China. Although controvertial, it was the US who nuked japan and that immediately stopped the war and save a lot of Chinese people.

So yea I get it, every country want to portray others as evil. Its not unique to the west.

But remember one thing:

Governments =/= The people whom they rule over

You can dislike a government without hating the people too

I still don’t know much about China. I don’t know what your culture is really like

I mean, tbh, I immigrated to the US as a kid, so I don't know much either.

I don’t know basically anything about you. I’d love to learn though, if you’re willing to teach.

I mean... do you have any specific questions to ask?

[–] edvardgm@lemm.ee -5 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Having two child rule is evil? Why? Rules makes a society, its your mom that try to break the rules? You know why they try to have 1 child policy right?

Sure they can be evil, but 1 child rule isnt evil. Imagine if 1st world countries suddenly started getting 5-10 childs everyone, everyone taking sueside cus no jobs and heavy competition on school.

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago (2 children)

The nasty bit was telling a mother she has to have an abortion against her will.

China now has the opposite problem of a declining population, which causes problems because of the working age population is small compared to the older population, you end up running out of money so you either have to tax more heavily or abandon older folks to their fate without helping them.

The declining population problem is very common in wealthier countries.

And lower population means fewer jobs. The number of jobs that need doing in a country doesn't depend on the area of the land, it depends on the population size. The problems come when governments don't build infrastructure. If you don't build schools and hospitals and suchlike, three are fewer jobs in construction and less money going into the local economy, and schools and hospitals get crowded and do a worse job.

[–] edvardgm@lemm.ee 1 points 2 days ago

Yep agree, i was in China in 2021, with my job, honestly i did see tons of jobs they dont need, like big security on each school, Cooks everywhere at school, and others

[–] edvardgm@lemm.ee 0 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It would be nasty if she was pregnant and suddenly the rule goes in action. If she got pregnant after the rule was set? Idk

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

You and I completely and utterly disagree.

[–] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The government shouldn't have control over this. This is no different from nazi eugenics.

[–] edvardgm@lemm.ee -5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Hmm, there are way to many people in China, how would you regulate it?

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I think you're quite a few decades out of date with that opinion. The Chinese government is very worried about population decline now.

[–] edvardgm@lemm.ee -1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Ye sure, but that was not my point

[–] davidagain@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I worry that your point is even worse than I thought.

[–] edvardgm@lemm.ee 1 points 1 day ago

Okey sure bro, your point is that rules are made to be broken because they are not right?

[–] Noel_Skum@sh.itjust.works 0 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Rice field to magalopolis in a generation. Absolutely wild speed of seismic change.

Edit: megalopolis

[–] daggermoon@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

I think of China as a country that pretends to be communist while making cheap products that vary in quality. I also think of the nice people that live there though.

[–] SgtAStrawberry@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

A country and its flag. They sort of come up simultaneously in my head.

[–] SoulKaribou@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Rude, impolite and loud people. But not all Chinese people are like that. But the ones that are stand out the most.

[–] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Rude, impolite and loud people.

Bruh...

Did you meet a rich / middle-class tourist that acts entitled? Because like... that's not really the reality. Most ethnic Chinese people actually act very polite in front of other people (at least that's the case with my parents and relatives), since this is a "face" thing. Its behind closed doors that they start to drop the act and just be like: "Why are you so fat" (my mom literally said that to me lol). But like... Rude? In Public? 🤔

[–] SoulKaribou@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Cut you in the line like you dont exist. Try to force their way in the queue. Shout to their friends right next to your ears. Bump their luggage in your knee/feet/ankle. Stop in the middle of the road or in front of the elevators. Clip nails in public transport. Burp and fart in restaurant without a word. Drop trash on the floor. Spit in the street... you name it, I've seen it all.

And again, like all generalities, it doesn't make much sense. I know not all Chinese people are like that. Especially your mom lol.

Cut you in the line like you dont exist. Try to force their way in the queue.

I've spent a lot of time in NYC and Philly Chinatown areas and almost never see this. I think the one time that someone tried everyone else in line (including ethnic Chinese people) called them out for it and they just went to the back of the line.

Stop in the middle of the road or in front of the elevators.

To be fair, I was in highschool (in the US) and kids of every ethnicity would also stand in the middle of the hallway usually in their little groups and chatting and blocking everyone from getting to their classes on time.

Burp and fart in restaurant without a word.

They don't want to ackowledge it because it "loses face".

Drop trash on the floor.

Not unique to Chinese people.

Go to any major city and you see this a lot.

Spit in the street

Oh yea this is annoying. I have someone who live on my block who is a first-generation immigrant, i'm not sure if from Mainland China or Taiwan or HK, but either way, they keep spitting like every day... Ugh 🤮

But I also see this from both white people and black people, not exactly a unique trait.

[–] HipsterTenZero@dormi.zone 1 points 3 days ago

People I don't know enough about.

[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

Useless plastic shit

[–] PillowTalk420@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

That piano riff. You know the one.

[–] RBWells@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

Such an enormous country. Old people doing tai chi in a park. Little kids earning red stars at school. Government trying to control the population too tightly, yet somehow also lacking basic safety regulations. Good food.

[–] FeelzGoodMan420@eviltoast.org 6 points 3 days ago

Chinese food, which i love.

[–] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 4 days ago

Unfortunately, it's trump squinting his eyes, and saying "China!" with a pause and a scowl. Rent free in my brain.

Second thing I guess is some bullshit where they were cracking down on Ramadan in a news article.

Third I suppose is the rich history and cultural tradition.

[–] Thaurin@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

Wing Chun Kung Fu.

[–] Delvin4519@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Authortarianism and censorship to the point where I can never return to my former homeland until that changes for the better. No worker's rights. Human rights issues in the north and west in areas that weren't part of China historically.

Possible conflict with Taiwan (if that happens than I'd be sent to the camps to die by orange cheeto, unless I leave).

1.4 billion people & had the One Child policy for the longest time.

Lots of enviornmental problems, air pollution (and apparently much of the country has really really hot heat indices in the summer, avg high of 40C and low of 30C already.... no thanks).

Really difficult language to learn (tried to learn it back when I was in school, couldn't really and basically forgot it all).

[–] P00ptart@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

My stance is kind of 50/50 with China.

For one, they're going to flame out even faster than America did. As time moves forward great powers last less and less time. America only held the crown for 80 years. Chinas got its own issues, especially with the population issues.

Yes, China has a laundry list of human rights abuses. We know all of them, I shouldn't have to list them here. China also is an aggressor country, harassing their neighbors and intimidating them for often no reason at all, and when there is a reason, it's territorial expansion. They steal IP, they steal identities and secrets (yes I know, stealing secrets is an everybody issue, and I'll get to that, but it's usually done with more class) and they gave our kids toys with lead in them. You could seriously go on for days on the bad stuff about China. The belt and road? Fuck, that's so, so bad... However

They're also leading in science and especially the environment. They've spent big money on their science, and it's paid off in spades for them and it's commendable from an international standpoint. No country on earth is fighting climate change harder than China. From advances in solar panels bringing the cost of clean energy down, and giving the ability to electrify places of the world that have never experienced it? That's pretty dope. Plus their electric car tech is blowing up so hard that it's actually kind of reasonable to tariff it, because they're so far ahead.

Now the gre(a)y, I'm an American. Half the shit that china does that's bad, was shit that we have been doing for generations. So yeah, china sucks shit. But does it suck more shit than America right now? I say no, but not by much, and mostly because a lot of the problems people try to put on China (i.e. pollution mostly) is because we facilitated that. If not them, it'd be our polluted air and water. And now, he wants to bring that manufacturing back here while deregulating pollutants AND enforcement. He saw 1990s Beijing and said "I want that for us". But basically, other than China's climate and science goals, were the same country. So the nod (barely) goes to China for being a more honorable or good country.

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